A theory of shelter

Shelter theory argues that small states seek political, economic and societal shelter to fulfil the needs and mitigate the vulnerabilities inherent with small size. Small states not only form domestic buffers and traditional alliances, but they also seek shelter from larger neighbours and international organizations. The relations take the shape of political shelter (such as military assistance, administrative assistance, and rule-and norm-based orders); economic shelter (such as favourable market access, loans, direct economic assistance, and help from external financial authorities), and societal shelter (such as the diffusion of foreign people and ideas in order to avoid social stagnation and to make up for a lack of indigenous knowledge).